The Church of England in Coldharbour

Welcome

St John’s Anglican Church serves one of the most diverse and vibrant communities in England, the Coldharbour ward of Brixton in Lambeth, south London.

The church draws its congregation from the local people, and we reflect that diversity in our ages, from teeny tots to older retirees; our household and family status including singletons, partnered households, young families and large extended families; and our wide ranging ethnic and cultural affiliations. To all we offer a warm, welcoming atmosphere for worship and fellowship.

Our worship reflects the “high church”, inclusive, liberal catholic tradition of the Church of England. However, we try to ensure that the worship is a lively reflection of the people and cultures from whom we are drawn. Young people play a huge part in our Sunday worship and we take time to find ways to reflect the cultures of the regular worshippers at our services. We believe that all are welcome into God’s house and at God’s table, and that all people are able to heed God’s call to ministry and serve at all levels of the church, local and national.

In 1853, St. John’s was consecrated on the Angell Town estate to serve a growing suburban centre in Brixton. The aims of the church remains the same, but the area we serve now includes five large inner city estates, three primary schools (St. John’s; Hillmead and Loughborough), one secondary academy (Evelyn Grace), one community horse riding centre (Ebony), one busy train station (Loughborough Junction , and the new developments of Brixton Village in the market and Brixton Square Housing scheme.

We try to witness to the love of God in our community within and without our building. Long needed church redevelopment work in the late twentieth century brought community facing activities into the church building through the use of the old,formerly derelict, east end as a (private run) community nursery and we actively work to ensure that we face outwards through our work with young people in church, local community groups and especially our partnership with our church primary school.

In all we do here at St. John’s we strive to make the world a better place through our welcoming, worshipping and witnessing.